Conner poured water over his hands and wiped them, afraid they were so slippery he wasn’t going to be able to get the needle in. “Hold still. And don’t whine while I do this.”

“Ow. Quit poking me.”

“You sound like a girl. I told you not to whine.” Conner took a breath and let it out in an effort to steady his hands. He was weaker than he’d thought. The two of them were very likely going to die there, bleeding out slowly, and the bugs were really going to pick their bones clean.

He felt sluggish and found it hard to concentrate. Once again he wiped sweat and blood from his forehead with his arm, trying to keep his hands clean. Rio had good veins, but Conner’s eyesight kept blurring.

“Just do it,” Rio encouraged and let his head loll back.

Conner didn’t like the shallow way he was breathing, as if he labored for every breath. He was as gentle as he could be with his blurred vision and shaky hands, but he got the needle into the vein. With a sigh of relief, he hastily set up the IV to give Rio fluids.

“Come on, man, hang in there.”

“Hurts like a son of a bitch,” Rio admitted.

“A few minutes and you’ll be feeling better.”

“If something goes wrong . . .”

“Shut the fuck up.”

“No listen to me, Conner. If anything happens to me, you and the others take care of Rachel. She’s got money. Elijah saw to that, but she’ll need all of you.”

Conner swore and bent over Rio. “Look at me. Open your eyes and look at me, Rio.”

Rio’s lids fluttered with the effort, but he managed.

“You. Will. Not. Die.” Conner enunciated each word individually so there could be no mistake. “I’ll get you out of here if I have to pack you out on my back.”

Rio searched his face a long time and then a faint smile crept into his eyes. “I believe you would. You’re a stubborn son of a bitch.”

“Watch what you call my mother. I’m the son of a bastard. Get it right.”

Rio managed another smile and nodded his head.

Conner pressed his hand to Rio’s shoulder and took another swallow of water. He meant what he said. If he had to crawl, he’d get Rio to help. It was a matter of finding the strength.